When Eileen Dalton's three grown sons asked her what she would like for Mother's Day, she had an unusual request. Dalton wanted her children to forgo the gifts and donate blood instead. Her sons were happy to oblige.

"Mothers give life to their children, and I can't think of a better way to honor them than by donating blood and giving someone else a second chance at life," said Dalton.

Dalton herself got a second chance at life, when she needed blood transfusions following her cancer surgery. Now that she's cancer-free, she hopes to make an impact for others struggling with cancer and other medical conditions that put them in need of live-saving blood donations.

WGMD reports Dalton has founded her own nonprofit, The Give Blood For Your Mother Foundation, and is working with her local blood bank in Delmarva, Delaware, to encourage young people to give blood donations as Mother's Day gifts. Each donor that gives at the Delmarva Blood Bank through Mother's Day will receive a card to give to their mother, commemorating the donation that was given in their honor.